WARNING: There is NSFW content in this chapter.

"One game." I said as I sat down at the offered chair. Emeric smirked as he pushed it in, acting the supposed perfect gentleman. "And don't call me Shirley." The old joke came out easily and a second after I doubt any of them would get it until a short bark of laughter came from Patrice who smacked my shoulder and Bryant was snickering into his cup. I looked to Alon who wouldn't stop looking at me and I gulped. It was suddenly very very warm in that cabin.

"Brandy?" Emeric held the offered drink to me as Bryant dealt me in. I recognized the layout as Wicked Grace, which was essentially poker.

"No, thank you." I turned it down but he placed the bottle in front of me anyway and sat back down.

"Five silvers?" Bryant asked as he dropped two glittering silver pieces into the center.

Uh-oh.

"I match, and raise you two more." Patrice dropped more coins in and everyone looked to me.

"I don't have any coin…"

"Yes. We know. That's why you'll drink." Emeric's eyes gleamed as he placed two very small wooden cups next to the bottle of brandy. They looked like shot glasses. "Ten silvers equals one of these." He tapped one cup and looked to me, expecting me to back down.

That motherfucking bastard. Two can play this game. I grinned wide and narrowed my eyes. "Fine. I raise three." I snatched a cup up and slammed it in the center, jostling the other coins.

"You haven't even looked at your cards, Mercy." Alon said and I grinned wide.

"Don't need to." I sat back and pulled my cards up as the others snorted.

I said one game yet I pulled another small pile of silver coins to my side after five games. As I won I felt ten times better than I have felt since arriving in Thedas because I actually had coin!

Which means I could buy things! I could actually buy things with money I earned, well… bluffed my way to. I had robbed Emeric of most of the coin he would allow himself to bet, and he was now eating his own suggested method saying I "pay" with drinking. Ha. Now he was the one under by four drinks and blinking at his cards wildly. Patrice was already drunk off her ass as I had turned her into drinking a goblet of ale as compensation. I didn't want to rob everyone.

Bryant had already retired to bed and it was just Alon, Emeric, and me playing with Patrice snoring away next to me.

Victoriously, I counted each silver piece and added them to the new coin purse I had made out of one of my old socks and laughed as I shook the heavy article of clothing, the coins jangling inside. I'd need a proper coin purse eventually but this was lovely to have.

"I think, that's enough playing for tonight." Alon smiled. Alon was the only one who actually kept up with me, I only ever lost one round to him, and that was the first one. I suspect he let me win after that but I wasn't going to say anything or gloat.

"You… maaaaay be right." Emeric rose but he nearly tripped. I did nothing to help but the lieutenant rushed to steady his leader. I snorted but pulled all the cards together and began cleaning up. That seemed to snap Patrice out of her daze as well and she simply rose up, her single working eye swiveled to stare at each of us before she shuffled out of the cabin, a lot more steady on her feet than I thought she'd be.

"Mercy, help me put Emeric to bed." I looked at Alon and glared but then I grinned.

"Certainly. I rose up but rather than help Alon guide the blonde bastard to bed, I rushed to the beds and separated my cot from the conjoined mess and yanked my bedding from the pile and made sure the cots were as separate from each other as possible. I turned to see Alon giving me a deadpanned look.

"Truly?"

"Truly. I told you he's only doing it because he knows how much it bothers me. Like a freaking kid with a…" I scowled at that thought but pulled the blankets back on Emeric's cot, stepping out of the way as Alon pushed him into it and covered him up, after removing his boots.

Once Emeric was settled, we both turned to the mess and began cleaning up the mess of cards, cups, and chairs. Alon took the extra chairs back outside while I rinsed the cups out with water and set them up to dry on the mantel of the hearth. I righted the table to where it was supposed to go and then looked around. Everything was in order nothing was out of place.

Alon hadn't returned yet, I wonder if he would.

Wait. I was alone. Emeric was practically passed out, Alon wasn't here. I could search the cabin with no one watching. Quickly, I went to the shelves by the hearth first. My fingers slipping in between each box and cup to find anything with that sweet and red concoction I drank for the ritual. From top to bottom I searched. I checked each shelf the cabin had to offer. I found a small chest on one of the shelves and it was locked.

Peeking back at Emeric, I glared. Why would he need a locked chest? I had even found where he kept his coins, what did he have in here? Setting it aside, it wasn't likely in there, was it? Better exhaust all other efforts first.

I checked the two large chests and I found a glass bottle with a handwritten label. It had a cork stopped on it and when I pulled it off, I could smell the familiar sickly sweet scent. I tasted the cork and nearly gagged at the overly saccharine taste. This was it.

Peeking inside I could tell there wasn't much left but it would have to do. I slipped it into my bag, to use later, just as the door open. I stood up and faced Alon, trying to look as innocent as possible.

"Apologies. I had to stop to assign the new guards and scouts and I wanted to ensure Patrice had made it to her tent." Alon looked around and his lips lifted into a halfhearted smile that didn't reach his eyes or words. "I see you've finished. I…I suppose I shall bid you goodnight."

"Alon." I stepped up before he could turn back to the door. The same fluttering was back.

"Yes?" His eyes seemed to brighten with hope, his brows raised as well.

I lost whatever it was I was going to say, instead I just stared at him. The silence ticking by as my nerves reared up and prevented me from speaking. I licked my lips self-consciously and his eyes were drawn to them. I watched as his pupils dilated, darkening his eyes and then he was looking up at me hungrily. His lips mouthed something, but I wasn't paying attention as he took a step closer.

My cheeks must have been flushed red because when his frigid cold hand touched it, I moaned at the contrast. And then his lips were on mine, hot wet hard lips and they were mashed against me. His other hand pulling me closer and then digging into my hair. I grabbed his shoulders, standing on my tip toes.

It was hot, stoking a need in both of us as he moaned my name into my lips and maker, oh by the maker how I felt my legs clench in anticipation. It was just a kiss and I was weak to it. He licked my lips and entered and I dueled him, fighting for control. His hands slid down me and gripped my hips pulling me flush and I gasped feeling his very apparent arousal.

A grunt from Emeric's cot, however, had Alon stepping back panting and leaving me feeling cold.

A moment of silence and nothing came from the cot again.

"Mercy, we can't."

"To the void with that." I hissed and pounced on him. His hands gripped my legs as they wrapped around his waist. My arms gripping his shoulders pulling myself up on him. His back all but slammed against the wall. Our lips meeting again, exploring each other with fervor. I sucked, bit, and teased his mouth and he groaned, holding me up.

His arousal rubbed against my center and I moaned.

I needed this.

I needed him.

He couldn't hold me up despite the flexing of his arms because the next moment he was sliding down to the floor and I ground against him. His responding hiss let me know he wanted this just as much as me.

"Temptress, you are a temptress." He whispered harshly into my ear as he pulled me away from him, but his eyes remained alight with lust. "And like a fool, I must have you. Maker forgive me." He gave a silent prayer and then he was on me again. Lips hot and hands unbuttoning my vest and tunic, splaying it open and yanking my bra down and cupping my breasts.

My fingers worked at my pants, hastily pushing at least one leg off

It's been so long. So long. "You're wearing too many clothes." My voice was husky in his ear and he grunted in agreement. His own tunic shoved off and his belt unbuckled and his trousers unbuttoned. All those times I shared his tent I never realized how efficient and fast he could undress. Handy, especially now.

His skin was cold against me, but he warmed as he nuzzled against my chest, lips and tongue teasing, twirling around each of my nipples. When he bit one lightly, I gasped, and his hand slapped over my mouth. He looked at me. "Be quiet, temptress, or I shall give you something to keep your mouth silent."

Oh… Oh please do.

I gripped his hair as he delved lower and lower, his tongue and mouth kissing the expanse of my belly, my thighs and finally… I shuddered, pleased as he lapped at me, his fingers pushing my legs open wider. Then his long fingers were inside of me, pressing, pushing and then-

I gasped into my arm as I threw it over me, I peeked down to see Alon watching me as he explored me. Again I jolted as he found it, how did he- OH! I saw white lightning in my vision, crawling over as once again he stroked that spot again and my body shook. Again and again he stroked it, waiting between each until finally he was sitting up with a mischievous grin. My legs trembled. I was on the very edge.

"Y-you…" I panted and he leaned forward.

"Me?" He breathed with a laugh and then yanked my legs toward him until he could settle his arousal at my sopping entrance.

I was laying against the wood flooring and staring up at Alon when something pretty important came to me then as Alon rubbed his head to wet it, preparing to plunge. This was raw. As in raw, no condom, no protection.

I wanted to protest but then Alon's mouth met mine, swallowing my gasp as he pushed in, slowly at first and then rammed in and I lost all thought as the hunger overtook me. A deep primal want filled us as our hips rutted against each other.

It was sloppy, sometimes we didn't meet our rhythm and other times it was in sync but I do know that when I heard Alon's breath turned ragged against my ear, and his thrusts became shallow and quick, it was almost going to end. I had been close to the edge but I needed to get there soon. I tried to wiggle my hand between our slick bodies but he gripped both of mine and held them above my head and tutted.

"Naughty, Mercy." I moaned as his hand dipped between us to do what I had planned and his fingers flicked, rubbed and tweaked my clit until my completion, even as his hips dug into mine.

It was overpowering, even as I knew actual lightning was bursting from my hands and arms as it filled my vision and then I was coming down, watching Alon with his eyes closed as he gave a few final short thrusts and he was undone.

All of this against the floor of Emeric's cabin.